Avocado Varieties : Dwarf / Smaller Footprint / High Density Planting ?

[passionate4nature]

Hi,
Which Avocado varieties are truly Dwarf, Smaller, or can be planted high density against the fence (suppose upright trees / not spreading)

I have a back corner full of fruit trees. Fence is on 6-7' away, apple branches are close, wanted to put them against the fence.  Based on Online Data all Avocados are 25-30', but this does not seem like real world data unless the tree is 20 years old with prime conditions. The weather here (SF Bay Area) probably won't allow 30'. 

I know you can prune for smaller size.

Wurtz/ little cado is but not preferred. Some say Reed has a Upright weeping pattern instead of spreading. How About Gem, Carmen, Lamb (mine seems spreading). My Haas is spreading. 

[Epicatt2]

How about 'MEXICOLA' (not 'Mexicola Grande') which grows to about 15ft tall?

My 'Mexicola Grande' is about 18ft tall after four years and is supposed to grow up to 25ft.  I do prune it back to about 8ft, but then it jumps back up to 14ft or higher fairly quickly.  It seems more upright than spreading.

A 'Mexicola' with a mature hight of 15ft might be a better sized tree for you unless you are wanting something that stays really really short.  (My 'Mexicola' (not 'Grande') also looks to be going to be more upright than spreading.)

And BTW both of these two are very cold tolerant, and are part of the Mexican race of avocados.

Paul M.
==

[pagnr]

Dwarf Avocados usually have shorter internodes, ie spaces between the buds. This causes dwarfing as the foliage is more compact.
Some varieties are smaller growing trees, but not dwarfing as above.
There are a few of these varieties.
Rootstock may also be another factor.
Not sure it has been researched, but a dwarf on a less vigorous rootstock variety may be more compact than the same on a very vigorous rootstock.
Gem Linda and Wurtz are compact types.

[drymifolia]

How about 'MEXICOLA' (not 'Mexicola Grande') which grows to about 15ft tall?

I have seen a 30 ft Mexicola tree that was only ~20 years old. I don't think any avocado cultivars will really stop growing at a much smaller size than that, though some may grow more upright, wide, fast, or slow.

While some avocados have tighter internodes than others, there are no true dwarf avocados, and there are no dwarfing rootstocks. There are rootstocks of varying vigor, though, so using a low vigor rootstock can make it easier to successfully prune them small. The recommended practice for high density planting is aggressive pruning, girdling, and in Chile at least they use chemical methods (plant growth inhibitors). Here's a publication about the practice from UC:

https://ucanr.edu/sites/Rolshausen/files/248917.pdf

[johnb51]

Gwen?  (If it likes your climate.)  I know we have CA avocado people.  I hope they weigh in.

[JR561]

I have Wurtz, Maria Black, and Day.

So far all are staying compact.

[johnb51]

I have Wurtz, Maria Black, and Day.

So far all are staying compact.

But I don't think they're for NorthCal.

[Avofan]

As others said there are not really true dwarf avocados
So dwarf just means slow growing, more or less, like Holiday
Slow growing means less fruit because avocados trees will drop fruit they can’t support. One deciding factor is the mass of the tree
In the SF Bay Area they don’t grow that fast so I think you could just prune them every year. That’s my current thinking

Trees that are intended to be compact, high density - Lamb, Gem
Gwen is slow growing, I think it’s considered compact for that reason… which is the same for Holiday and Wurtz I think
Reed, Bacon, Mexicola are considered columnar - small footprint, grow up like bamboo
Hass and Fuerte are considered large trees.

This is just what I’ve read. My trees are only like 6 feet tall. I have GEM, Lamb, Mexicola, Nabal, Holiday, Zutano, Reed, Puebla, Fuerte, Hass, Pinkerton in the ground

[ScottR]

I keep a Holiday and Hellen at about  8' tall but you need to prune often some varieties like Reed would be hard to keep small like Fuerte too. But I have a 25 yr old Fuerte avocado that I keep at 8' tall but has spread sideways by 16-18'. If your willing to stay on your trees and prune or tip constantly then you can do it but it's work.